Angel with a Badge
by Erin Salvatore
Summary: AU/AH. Detective Caroline Forbes is investigating the murder of a college student in Chicago. The sole witness to the crime is a young Marine named Klaus Mikaelson, home from active duty in Iraq and blind in one eye from a wound he sustained. Things get interesting when they fall for one another along the way. Inspired by the new Beauty and the Beast series.
1. Chapter 1

**Angel with a Badge**

**by Erin Salvatore**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: I got inspired by the new "Beauty and the Beast" series that just aired on Thursday. It's a Klaroline AU/AH. The plot is this: Detective Caroline Forbes is investigating a homicide and learns that the only witness to the crime was Klaus Mikaelson, a soldier who arrived home from Iraq just days ago and is blind in one eye due to an accident he sustained from a piece of shrapnel during a seige. When he encounters Caroline, he is instantly drawn to her. **_

_**Don't ask, I just wanted to do something different.**_

**Chapter 1**

_Chicago, Illinois_

Detective Caroline Forbes drove through the streets of Chicago, blaring the lights on her car. She had just gotten a call about a homicide that taken place half an hour ago. When she finally got to the scene, she saw a majority of the Crime Scene Unit already gathered around, including the medical examiner, Meredith Fell.

"Meredith, what do we got?"

"Well, the vic was a young man, possibly in his early twenties," she said. "He was just out for a stroll in the park and some heartless bastard had to go and blow him away." She shook her head. "Sometimes, I really hate my job."

"We all do, so you're not entirely alone in that," said Caroline. "Any witnesses?"

Meredith nodded pointedly to the other side of the police tape. "Just that guy over there. He's a soldier home from Iraq. Imagine that, huh? Several days after returning from serving his country, he witnesses a murder."

Caroline bit her lip. Shit, she can only imagine what that poor soldier was thinking. "What's his name?"

"Lieutenant Klaus Mikaelson, United States Marine Corp."

_Oh, so not only is he a soldier, but he's a Marine,_ Caroline thought. _Still, witnessing a murder so soon after returning home from active duty has got to be rough._

"I'm going to go talk to him," she said finally. "See what he knows. I just hope he's not too annoyed to talk to me." She sighed. "Wish me luck, Meredith."

Without giving Meredith a chance to reply, Caroline made her way over to where their witness was standing. As she got closer, she felt her heart skip several beats. He was positively gorgeous, with dark blonde hair that was in a crew cut typical of a military man, a body that, although had been subjected to harsh conditions in Iraq, was ideal for hot, steamy, animal sex, and lips that Caroline was tempted to kiss and nibble.

"Excuse me? Lieutenant Mikaelson? I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what went on here?"

The young Marine looked at her and Caroline noticed that his left eye was covered with an eye patch. What the hell happened that he only had one eye? "They told you to call me that, didn't they? Well, there's no need to be formal with me. I haven't been called by my rank since before I came home. Please, just call me Klaus."

Caroline nodded. "Okay, Klaus it is then. I'm Detective Forbes, but as long as we're dispensing with formalities, you can call me Caroline."

Klaus smiled. "Good. I'd prefer calling you that anyway, because I think it's a beautiful name." He cleared his throat. "Now, Caroline, I believe you wanted to ask me about the crime I witnessed here tonight?"

"I did, actually," said Caroline. "Do you have any idea who might have wanted to hurt the victim?"

"Not a clue," said Klaus. "I met the poor lad prior to his death. His name was Luka, I believe. Luka Martin. He was a student at the University of Chicago, and he was meeting with me to interview me for a report he was doing in one of his classes. Don't ask me which one, because I can't remember."

"And did you see what happened?" Caroline knew that question sounded pretty cold, considering that he only had one good eye to see out of.

"I may have one eye, but I'm not completely blind."

"I know, and I apologize if that sounded rude," said Caroline. "I only asked because it's protocol."

"I understand," said Klaus. "To answer your question, I saw a rather strange man coming toward us and the next thing I knew, Luka had a bullet in his chest and bleeding all over the place." He showed Caroline his shirt. "I got his blood on me while I was trying to administer CPR. Sadly, my efforts were in vain and he died. As for the killer, I tried to look any sign of the bastard, but it would seem that he just disappeared."

Not giving Caroline a chance to reply, he added, his tone rather angry and his good eye had fire in it, "If only I had prevented this from happening! Luka is dead because of me!"

"Klaus, you did nothing wrong," said Caroline. "You did what you could, and that's all that matters. Let the police handle this from here on out, okay? The last thing anyone needs right now is to lose such a fine Marine as yourself." _Oh, yeah, he's fine, in more ways than one,_ her thoughts added.

Klaus urged himself to calm down. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He shouldn't blame himself for this. The real culprit was still at large and while the impulse to take matters into his own hands was great, he knew that to try and catch the killer himself wouldn't end too well.

"You're right, Caroline," he said. "If I went after the man, chances are that I too would be dead."

Caroline smiled. At least he was calmer now and listening to her. Clearing her throat, she said, "I appreciate your cooperation, Klaus. We'll nail the son of a bitch who did this, and you'll get credit for his arrest."

"I'm not looking for that," said Klaus. "I just want to help bring this man to justice once and for all."

"And we'll do everything in our power to make sure he never kills again." She cleared her throat. "Now, is there anyone I can call? Family? Friends? Girlfriend?" _Shit, Caroline, why are you asking if he has a girlfriend? That's none of your business._

"I live with my sister, Rebekah. She's all I have," said Klaus. "We were adopted by the Mikaelson family when we were younger. Our birth parents died in a car accident and we were placed in a series of foster homes until the Mikaelsons took us in. They already had four boys: Elijah, Finn, Kol, and Henrik. There was another son, but he died young."

He sighed. "Oh, why am I telling you this for? I don't even know you and I'm pouring my heart out to you."

"No, it's okay, you were only answering a question," said Caroline. "Well, I'll just call your sister and let her know you're okay."

Klaus nodded and looked at Caroline as she went about calling Rebekah. She was definitely as beautiful as her name, with long, curly blonde hair that he wanted to run his fingers through, dazzling blue eyes, a body he could imagine himself caressing as they had passionate, primal sex in his bed, and lips he was tempted to kiss.

_This case looks like it's intriguing to say the least,_ he thought. _I'm helping the police catch a killer, and I've got a very beautiful detective to help me. Though, I can't help but get the feeling that we're going to wind up helping each other, in more ways than one._

_**Note: Thus begins yet another Klaroline AU/AH by yours truly. There will be romance in here eventually. I just wanted our leads to meet first.**_

_**Enjoy and let me know what you think! Reviews are love!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Angel with a Badge," Detective Caroline Forbes arrives on the scene of the murder of Luka Martin, where she meets the crime's sole witness Lieutenant Klaus Mikaelson, a Marine who has returned home from Iraq several days prior to the crime.**_

_**Thank you for the reviews so far! You guys are great! No spoilers, except I came up with the idea for this chapter while on a walk this afternoon.**_

_Home of Klaus & Rebekah Mikaelson, Chicago Suburbs – Later..._

Caroline got a glimpse of where Klaus lived as she pulled the car up to the house. She wondered just how they would be able to afford a place like this. The upkeep alone probably cost an arm and leg, possibly even an _eye_, in Klaus' case. Still, it looked like a very comfortable place to live.

Klaus looked at her as she killed the engine. "You really didn't have to give me a ride."

"Nonsense," she replied. "Think of it as my way of thanking you for your service to your country. Plus, with Luka's killer still on the loose, I couldn't let you go home by yourself. That and I didn't want your sister to be any more worried about you than I'm sure she already is."

Klaus nodded. "Yes. That's my sister for you, bless her heart."

Caroline smiled. Judging from how much hell both of them had been through since they were children, the only good thing that Klaus and Rebekah seemed to have was their strong bond. _Well, he did say she was all he had, so their bond as brother and sister must really be strong to survive the years that they were in the foster care system before the Mikaelsons adopted them._

It wasn't long before they arrived at the front door and Caroline knocked to announce their arrival, which was answered half a beat later by Rebekah, who looked like she had been crying. Shit, she must've feared the worst when Caroline called her a short while ago.

When she saw Klaus, she immediately embraced him. "Oh God, Nik, I was so worried about you. When I got the call saying that there had been a murder, I..."

Klaus wrapped his arms around his sister to soothe her. "Shhh. Bekah, it's all right. I'm fine."

Rebekah stepped back. "Yes, but you know I worry about you. It would be like losing our parents all over again."

Klaus kissed her forehead and then looked toward Caroline. "Bekah, I'd like you to meet Detective Caroline Forbes. She's investigating the murder that I witnessed. Caroline, this would be my sister, Rebekah."

Rebekah nodded. "Yes, we spoke on the phone." She looked at Caroline. "You'll have to forgive me if I seem a little distraught. Nik is all I have, and if I lost him, I don't know what I'd do. In fact, I didn't want him to meet with that young man that got killed." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I take it you'll catch the bastard who did it?"

"We've got our best people out there looking for the killer as we speak," said Caroline. "Though, since your brother was the sole witness to what had gone on tonight, we're going to need him to pick him out of the line-up, as well as testify against him in court."

"Testify?" said Rebekah. "Are you out of your bloody mind? There's no way in hell I'm going to let my brother be put through that!"

"I understand that you don't want anything to happen to him," said Caroline. "But, he'll be under our protection, and if you're that concerned about him, we'll make sure that _you're_ protected as well. However, we need your brother's cooperation, Rebekah. He saw what went down tonight and the success or failure of apprehending the suspect depends on his, as well as your, cooperation."

Rebekah was about to say something, but Klaus stopped her. "Bekah, this man will continue to roam free if I don't do my part."

Rebekah looked from Klaus to Caroline and then back to Klaus again. She wanted to protest, say that this whole thing was bullshit, but knew that it wouldn't do her any good. As much as she wanted to protect her brother, she knew that this was something he had to do.

"All right, if the killer's capture depends on it, then we'll do what we can," she said. "The sooner you put that pig behind bars, the better we'll be able to sleep at night."

"Thank you, Rebekah," said Caroline. "I promise you, you and Klaus will be under police protection throughout the duration of the case. Once the killer is behind bars where he belongs, then you'll be able to go about your lives as if the murder never happened."

_That's such an empty promise,_ she thought. _How the hell can I be sure that Luka's killer won't escape and come after Klaus and Rebekah? No, Caroline, don't doubt yourself. You wouldn't have graduated at the top of your class at the academy if you didn't have the skills necessary for this job._

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her card, handing it to Rebekah. "If you ever need me for anything, my cell number is on that card. I don't care what time it is, just call me and I'll answer. Okay?"

"Okay," said Rebekah, taking the card from the other blonde. "We appreciate everything you're doing, Caroline."

Caroline smiled and nodded. "Think nothing of it. Consider this my way of thanking your brother for his service to his country." Clearing her throat, she added, "Well, I'd hate to cut this short, but I've got to get back to the precinct."

Then, after saying a quick good night to both Klaus and Rebekah, Caroline got into her car and drove away.

Once she was gone, Rebekah took Klaus' arm and led him into the house, closing the door behind them. After they were inside, Rebekah sighed, running a hand through her hair again. She couldn't believe that they had just agreed to.

"I don't know about this, Nik," she said. "What are the odds of this actually ending well? That man could be anywhere by now. Hell, he could be planning his next move right now."

"Bekah, weren't you listening?" said Klaus. "Caroline said that their best men are hot on the killer's trail."

Rebekah raised an eyebrow. "You've got quite a lot of faith in her, even though you've only just met her. One might think that it hardly has anything to do with the case she's investigating. You like her, don't you? Don't deny it, Nik, I can tell from the way you were looking at her as she walked away."

"So what if I like her?" said Klaus. "It's a free country, is it not? If I want to like someone, I will." He sighed, rolling his eye. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my room. It's been an exhausting night and I could use some rest."

Not giving Rebekah a chance to respond, Klaus went upstairs to his room. However, instead of doing what he said he was going to do, he went to the section of the room that housed his artwork. In addition to serving in the military, Klaus was also an artist. He had started doing sketches and drawings from the time he was five years old, and it had only gotten better over time. In fact, he had sold dozens of his paintings to local art galleries, including the one he had done while in the hospital following the surgery he had to repair the damage done to his left eye by the piece of shrapnel that pierced through it during a seige of a local mosque in Baghdad, which had left several of the soldiers in his unit dead.

Sighing as he tried not to remember that horrible tragedy, Klaus took out one of his sketch pads and started drawing. As he continued to go about his task, there was no denying what had inspired him tonight, or_ who_, for that matter.

_They say that the face of Helen of Troy launched a thousand ships,_ he thought. _Well, I think it's safe to say that Caroline is my Helen of Troy, and she has launched the thousand ships of my passion and creativity._

_**Note: Meh, I didn't know what else to put here, so I thought I'd stop Chapter 2 here. Stay tuned for more!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Angel with a Badge," Caroline brings Klaus home from the crime scene and meets Rebekah. After Caroline leaves, Klaus goes to his room and takes out his sketch pad.**_

_**Thank you for all your reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**_

_Precinct House – 2 Days Later..._

Caroline walked into the squad room, all geared up for searching for Luka Martin's killer. It had been two days since the murder took place, and so far, no leads have been found as of yet. However, Caroline didn't let that deter her from wanting to find the son of a bitch who made that poor boy suffer so needlessly, and all because he had been going to interview Klaus for a report for school, even if the name of the class in question wasn't known.

"Well, if it isn't the lady of the hour."

Startled slightly out of her reverie, Caroline looked over at her partner, Katherine Pierce. "Good morning to you too, Katherine. And what did I do to deserve that tone when I walked in here?"

"There's someone here to see you," said Katherine. "Some hot military guy with an eye patch."

"Klaus?" said Caroline. "Why is he here? Is he okay?"

"I don't know, you tell me," said Katherine. "He is your witness, isn't he?"

Caroline shook her head and went toward her desk, where Klaus was indeed waiting for her. He certainly looked better than he did the other night, that was for sure. He was wearing a white tank under a black leather jacket and faded dark blue jeans. Caroline felt her heart hammer at his appearance, biting her lip as she got closer.

"Klaus, what's going on?" she said. "What are you doing here?"

Klaus smirked at her. "Isn't it obvious? I came to see you. That lovely partner of yours was kind enough to let me wait here until you got in."

"Rebekah would have a fit if she knew you were here."

"_Rebekah_ is at school at the moment," said Klaus. "And, before you ask, no, she doesn't go to the same school that our friend, Luka, attended. She goes to Chicago State University."

"Okay," said Caroline. "So, why the sudden urge to see me? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," said Klaus. "I know you said to call if I needed you, but the truth is, why waste time talking on the phone when I could talk to you in person? I know that sounded a tad reckless, but then again, I've always been that way, even when I was a lad."

Caroline scowled, still not sure what Klaus needed that he couldn't discuss over the phone. "Klaus, I appreciate the fact that you wanted to see me, but the thing is, we've been sitting here for the past five minutes and you still haven't told me the reason you came down here."

Klaus reached into his jacket pocket and placed a piece of paper on her desk. "That's the reason. Open it."

Caroline raised an eyebrow at that and picked up the paper. It was rolled up like a parchment and tied together with a white ribbon. She untied the ribbon and unrolled the paper to reveal a drawing, and not just any drawing, a drawing of an angel with a sword in her hand and a band on her belt. Not only that, but the angel looked a lot like...like her.

"Klaus, did you draw this?"

Klaus nodded. "I did."

"When?"

"The other night, just after you brought me home," said Klaus. "I couldn't sleep, so I took out of my sketch pads and created the masterpiece you hold in your hand. Do you like it? If not, I could always make another."

"No, I like it," said Caroline. "In fact, I love it. You have quite a talent, Klaus. How long have you been an artist?"

"Since I was five," said Klaus. "Art has always been a passion of mine, and I found it to be comforting, a way of escaping from the troubles of the world, even if only for a short time."

Caroline barely heard him. She was still looking at the drawing. It was done so tastefully, and she could tell that he put a lot of effort into every detail. His skills were beyond amazing.

"You know, with skills like this, you could definitely get a job here as a sketch artist," she said. "The one we have now is an amateur compared to you. True, his work is good, but yours is...I can't describe it." She looked at him. "Klaus, would you be interested in being a sketch artist? It pays pretty good, and you can still aid in the investigation."

Klaus mused on that. He hadn't really considered pursuing that kind of a career. Not until now, anyway. "And it wouldn't matter that I'm a war veteran with one good eye?"

"No," said Caroline. "Tell you what, I can put in a good word for you."

Not giving Klaus a chance to reply, she said, "Did you want to grab a cup of coffee or something? We haven't had any leads yet as to who Luka's killer is for the past two days and I doubt we'll have any today either."

"I'd love to," said Klaus. "Might give us a chance to get to know each other better."

Caroline smiled. "Though, you should probably call Rebekah and tell her where you'll be so that she doesn't worry about you."

Klaus nodded. He got out his cell phone, excused himself, and dialed Rebekah's number. He waited somewhat patiently for her pick up and finally on, the third ring, he finally got her.

"Hello?"

"Bekah, it's me."

"Nik, I was just about to call you," said Rebekah. "My class ran a little late. My stupid professor wouldn't shut her bloody mouth. She didn't let us out until one of my classmates told her class was over. Anyway, I just hope my next class doesn't run over time. Where are you?"

"Oddly enough, I'm at the police station," said Klaus. "I wanted to speak to Caroline and deliver the present I made for her."

"I kind of figured you'd do that," said Rebekah. "I swear, Nik, ever since you met her, you've been a different person. Not a bad different, but a good different. You're more cheerful than you were when you came home from the hospital."

"Was there ever any doubt?" said Klaus. "Anyway, we're going to grab some coffee and then I'll be home a little later. Just take your time and don't let your professors discourage you."

"All right," said Rebekah. "Have fun and be careful. I love you, Nik."

"I love you too, Bekah," said Klaus. "I'll see you later."

With that, he hung up and returned to Caroline's desk, where he saw her waiting for him, a smile on her face. "So, what's the verdict?"

"We're good," said Klaus. "She was just a little pissed because one of her professors is a stupid bitch who didn't know how to tell time. But, she approves of our little outing."

Caroline smiled again and took his hand. "Come on, let's go before we wind up staying here."

Klaus returned her smile. Truth be told, he would've been content with staying here, but they did just agree on leaving, and it probably wouldn't be much fun talking here, especially if the conversation were to suddenly turn into something else.

_**Note: Yeah, I know ending it here on a cliffhanger is evil of me, but I ran out of ideas and my thought process is shot to hell. Anyway, they will bond over coffee in the next chapter, I promise! Stay tuned!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.**

_**Note: Previously, in "Angel with a Badge," Klaus visits Caroline at the precinct house and gives her drawing he made of her the night they met.**_

_**Thank you for your great reviews! You guys are awesome! **_

_Coffee Chicago – Later..._

Caroline couldn't help but smile at Klaus as she sipped her coffee. There was just something about him that she found intriguing, and she couldn't tell if it was his accent or the way he looked positively scrumptious in what he was wearing. Truth be told, she was surprised that a man as gorgeous as Klaus didn't have a girlfriend. Or maybe he did have one before his last tour in Iraq and she couldn't handle the separation.

"And what is that smile for, Caroline?"

His question startled her out of her reverie. "Oh, uh, nothing really."

"Nothing?" said Klaus. "You're staring at me the way a child stares at a toy he wants."

Caroline cleared her throat. "I suppose I should be honest with you. I mean, you're willing to set your life aside so that you can help us find Luka Martin's killer, and you deserve the truth." She sighed. "Klaus, before I tell you why I'm staring at you, may I ask you a personal question? You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I'm just curious about something."

"Ask away."

"This is going to sound stupid and forward of me, and I really shouldn't be asking you this," said Caroline. "But, do you...have a girlfriend?"

"Sadly, no," said Klaus. "It's true that a lot of girls found me attractive, and I've fancied quite a few of them, but nothing ever materialized." He eyed her curiously. "And you, Caroline? Are there any young men in your life?"

"I did have a boyfriend, but we broke up about a year ago," said Caroline. "His name was Tyler Lockwood, and I thought he was the love of my life. That is, until I found him swapping spit with this girl named Hayley." She sighed. "Needless to say, I promised myself that if I ever let myself fall for a guy again, I'd be cautious and make sure that he treats me the way I expect to be treated, and not think about himself all the time, which Tyler unfortunately did."

Klaus scowled as he listened to what Caroline was telling him. He hated guys like that, who thought they could just play with a woman's emotions and expect to get away with it. Obviously, this Tyler didn't have any respect for Caroline if he chose this Hayley over her.

"If you ask me, Tyler doesn't know what he's missing. If he couldn't see you for the beautiful, brilliant, strong young woman that you are, then he didn't deserve you."

Caroline smiled again. "Thank you, Klaus."

"I mean it," said Klaus. "You deserve so much more than that. You deserve a man who will put your needs before his own, and not betray your trust." He smiled at her. "Tyler was a fool to do what he did to you. And, though I was raised to not wish bad things on anyone, I hope he gets his balls chopped off by a butcher knife."

Caroline nearly choked on her coffee when she heard that, laughing as she set her cup down. "You know, that's funny, because that's exactly what I want to happen to him." She cleared her throat. "I hope that you didn't think I was being too forward with my question, Klaus."

"No, you weren't," said Klaus. "You only wanted to know more about me, and there's no harm in that. You're the first person other than Rebekah that I've been this open with. When you've been so violently shoved into the world as I have, you find it difficult to trust someone completely."

Caroline nodded. "Believe me, I won't ever do anything to betray your trust, Klaus. You and Rebekah are safe with me around, I promise."

"Thank you, Caroline," said Klaus. "You have no idea how much that means to me." He gently placed his hand on hers. "You are definitely an angel."

_Later..._

Caroline somehow dreaded having to say good-bye to Klaus as she pulled into the driveway. She had a great time talking to him and getting to know him. In fact, with every minute that went by, she found becoming attracted to him, as much as she tried not to.

"I had a wonderful time today."

Klaus smiled. "As did I. It's funny, but even though we've only known each other for a couple of days, I feel as though I've known you forever."

"Really?" said Caroline. "Well, I feel that way too. I feel like I can talk to you about anything and you'd listen to what I have to say."

"I'm a gentleman," said Klaus. "And a gentleman values what a lady has to say."

Then, he leaned forward, gently placed his hands on Caroline's face, and kissed her softly, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. Caroline returned the kiss half a beat later, moaning against his mouth as their tongues collided. Shit, he certainly was a great kisser, even better than Tyler, and she felt like she was in heaven as they continued to kiss.

After a few minutes, Klaus pulled away, breaking the kiss, even though he wished he didn't have to. "I'll see you again soon, Caroline. And thank you for today."

He kissed her again, short this time, and got out of the car, heading to the front door. Caroline watched him as he let himself in and sighed. If she didn't know any better, she'd say she was falling for Klaus, and him for her.

_**Note: In honor of Veteran's Day, I thought I'd update this story. A short update, of course, but an update nonetheless. Stay tuned for more Klaroline goodness!**_

_**ENJOY THE UPDATE AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!**_


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